1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates broadly to systems and methods for detecting, identifying, reporting, and evaluating presences of substances. More particularly, the present invention concerns a system and method for identifying, reporting, and evaluating a presence of a solid, liquid, gas, or other substance of interest, particularly a dangerous, hazardous, or otherwise threatening chemical, biological, or radioactive substance. The system comprises one or more substantially automated, location self-aware remote sensing units; a control unit; and one or more data processing and storage servers. Data is collected by the remote sensing units and transmitted to the control unit; the control unit generates and uploads a report incorporating the data to the servers; and thereafter the report is available for review by a hierarchy of responsive and evaluative authorities via a wide area network. The evaluative authorities include a group of relevant experts who may be widely or even globally distributed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is often desirable to monitor for, identify, report, and evaluate a presence of a solid, liquid, gaseous, or other substance of interest. It will be appreciated, for example, that it has become highly desirable or even necessary, particularly in light of recent terrorist activities, to monitor for, identify, report, and evaluate any presence of threatening chemical, biological, or radioactive substances. Many less sinister substances, however, are also often the subject of monitoring, including, for example, pollutants; illegal or otherwise regulated substances; substances of interest to science; and substances of interest to agriculture or industry.
In the case of threatening substances, for example, detection devices are well-known in the prior art, ranging from the extremely simple to the exceedingly complex. Simple detection devices are typically narrowly capable of detecting and identifying a single substance or group of closely related substances. These extremely limited devices typically combine detection and identification into a single function by using a very specific test that can only detect the presence or non-presence of the specific substance and none other. An expensive and unwieldy collection of these simple devices would be needed in order to monitor or test for the wide variety of substances that might pose threats to health and safety. Unfortunately, providing such a collection of devices on a deployable mobile platform suitable for field testing substances whenever and wherever they may be encountered would be difficult and impractical at best. Furthermore, even if such a large and expensive mobile collection were created, it most likely could not be introduced into a suspect area in a timely manner and without undue risk to its operators. Additionally, unless multiple instances of each device are included in the collection, there is no redundancy to ameliorate failure, such as malfunction or mistake, by any particular device.
Furthermore, because these simple devices are often designed for stand-alone operation, integrating their systems, particularly their disparate operating and reporting systems, would be an exceedingly difficult and costly task. Relatedly, even if such integration were achieved, replacing an older version of a device with a newer version might well require substantial additional integration work, thereby providing a powerful disincentive for upgrading to newer and better devices whenever possible. Additionally, being substantially disparate and designed without concern for integration, these simple devices are unable to communicate or cooperate with one another in performing their respective functions. Thus, a particular detection device of the collection may be engaged in substantial and time-consuming testing while all other devices sit inefficiently idle.
Prior art complex detection devices are generally more broadly capable than the above-described simple devices, but they also suffer from a number of disadvantages. More specifically, increased capability is typically associated with an increase in operational complexity, requiring substantial investments in initial and continued training so that the complex devices can be used properly and effectively. Furthermore, the devices require substantial operational control by and interaction with a human operator either in physical contact or close proximity with the detection device. It will be appreciated that this necessarily exposes the operator to the substance being tested, thereby requiring the operator to wear extremely cumbersome protective gear. This gear, in turn, makes operating any small buttons, dials, or other input or control mechanisms on the device extremely difficult.
Relatedly, a lack of any substantial automation of the device means that testing can only be performed once the necessary human operator arrives on the scene, precluding both continuous monitoring and the fastest possible identification of the substance. Thus, only once there is reason to suspect that the substance is present (possibly as a result of animal or human deaths) might an order be given to deploy the human operator and the detection device. Thereafter, the human operator must travel to the scene and prepare for and perform the appropriate testing while wearing cumbersome protective gear and otherwise avoiding exposing himself or herself to the potentially hazardous substance. Furthermore, though it may be established that the substance is not one of the particular substances being tested for, actual identification of the substance may not be accomplished. During this very inefficient and time-consuming procedure, a large number of additional people may be exposed to the threatening substance depending on such factors as wind, rain, other weather conditions; insect, animal, or human movements; or other vectors.
Once a positive identification has been made or, at least, the presence of certain substances has been ruled out, the results observed by the operator of the device is typically reported to a remote team member using short range two-way radios. The remote team member must then transcribe or enter these reports before they can be relayed to a higher authority. This inefficient process further delays initiation of any response to the threat, and may introduce communication and transcription errors.
Additionally, prior art devices typically do not allow for quick and convenient removal and replacement of malfunctioning or obsolete components. When a malfunction occurs, the device must be taken out of service until appropriate maintenance can be performed by a qualified technician. When improved sensors or other components become available, the entire device must be replaced at substantial cost in order to obtain the benefit of improved performance. Relatedly, the devices are typically not customizable with regard to performance, capability, or cost.
Additionally, prior art devices typically have no capability to identify appropriate local, state, or regional contacts for reporting detection of a threatening substance. Typically, individual detection devices or collections of such devices are deployed by state or federal agencies and report only to a particular high-level authority rather than a local authority (e.g., city or county). Thus, once information has been gathered, it is disseminated, if at all, using a top-down model, which can result in substantial delay between initial notification of the state or federal authorities and notification of the local authorities who are charged with responding to the threatening situation, and can result in substantial confusion if the information is misinterpreted or miscommunicated as it is repeated up and down this chain. Furthermore, local authorities may have particular protocols or policies in place for such reporting that are not available or not followed when notifying them of the hazard or threat, thereby further undermining any possibility of a timely response to the situation.
Due to the above-identified and other problems and disadvantages in the art, a need exists for an improved system and method of identifying, reporting, and evaluating presences of substances, particularly threatening substances.